Apparatus for automatically locating capsules on the necks of bottles



' March 26, 1968 J. 5. SATCHWELL ETA!- 3,374,505

'APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCATING v CAPSULES ON THE NECKS OF BOTTLES Filed Dec. 27, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR la. uurf March 26, 1968 J. 5. SATCHWELL ETAL 3,374,605

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCATING CAPSULES ON THE NECKS 0F BOTTLES Filed D90. 27, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 llwilvrok y aroma ll rbu-i-fimrba not! .A #v'ker ATTORNEY March 26, 1968 5, s cHw ETAL 3,374,605

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCATING CAPSULES ON THE NECKS OF BOTTLES Filed Dec. 27, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 26, 1968 J s. SATCHWELL ET AL 3, 6 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCATING CAPSULES ON THE NECKS OE BOTTLES Filed Dec. 27, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORY /ofnfiuur Je n/Z BY Norman H der) firm/lau- M J. fi m ATTORNEY ,J. S. SATCHWELL ETAL March 26, 1968 3,374,605

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY LOGATING CAPSULES on THE NBCKS OF BOTTLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 27, 1965 9m QM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,374,605 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY LOCATING CAPSULES ON THE NECKS 0F BOTTLES John S. Satchwell, Coventry, and Norman H. Brashaw, Cheshunt, England, assignors to Betts and Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Dec. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 516,456 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Feb. 4, 1965, 4,829/65 Claims. (Cl. 53307) This invention relates to an improved apparatus for automatically locating capsules on the necks of bottles and has particular reference to apparatus for employment with lead foil capsules. There are two main types of metal foil capsules in general use, one type manufactured from aluminium (or an aluminium alloy) and the other type manufactured from lead foil.

The first main type of capsule may have a pleated skirt (formed by pressing a disc of aluminium foil around a frusto'conical mandrel) or may be formed from two parts secured together, a smooth frusto-conical skirt (formed by curling a length of foil around a mandrel) and an end plate closing the narrow end of the skirt. The second main type of capsule is of heavier construction than the first and is usually formed by spinning a cupshaped blank of lead foil around a mandrel to form a one piece capsule with a smooth frusto-conical skirt which may, or may not, subsequently be embossed.

Both main types of capsules are usually supplied to bottlers in sticks, i.e., a large number of capsules nested one within another. Such capsules have to be disengaged singly from a stick of capsules and placed on the neck of a bottle before the latter is conveyed into a capsuling machine where the capsule is squeezed around the neck of the bottle.

Satisfactory apparatus has been designed for automatically locating pleated aluminium capsules on the necks of the bottles and one specific example of such apparatus is described in the specification of U.K. Patent No. 779,064. The apparatus in UK. Specification No. 779,064 has also been successfully employed with smooth skirted aluminium capsules but all attempts to employ the known apparatus with lead foil capsules has failed to produce satisfactory results.

The specific embodiments of apparatus described in the specification of UK. Patent No. 779,064 employ one or more localised friction pads each adapted to engage an area of the skirt of the capsule next to be blown from the stick (hereinafter referred to as the penultimate capsule). Localised friction pads of this character, have proved to be very effective with aluminium foil capsules where the natural resilience of the metal foil and the light weight of the capsules allow the penultimate capsule to be sutficiently securely gripped by the friction pads without appreciable permanent deformation of the capsules occurring. When a plurality of localised friction pads are employed with lead foil capsules, however, the increased weight of the capsules means that an increased pressure must be applied to the penultimate capsule by the friction pads to hold the stick of capsules while the last capsule is being blown off and the lower natural resilience of lead foil results in a pronounced deformation of the skirt occurring under the influence of the increased pressure in the vicinity of the pads. This deformation is transmitted radially inwardly of the stick to the portions of adjacent capsules also underlying the pads and has the effect of locking the subsequent capsules together and making eventual separation even more difficult.

This invention relates to a modified form of the apparatus described and claimed in the specification of UK. Patent No. 779,064 which modified form permits automatic location of lead foil capsules on the necks of bottles at rates of several capsules a second.

According to the present invention apparatus for 10- cating a lead foil capsule on the neck of a bottle comprises means down which a stick of inverted capsules can slide by gravity, a retractable stop which is contacted by and prevents the discharge of the lowermost capsule in said stick, means for retracting said stop from contact with the lowermost capsule in the stick prior to removal of the lowermost capsule, an opposed pair of clamping jaws spaced from the retractable stop and having substantially complete semicircular gripping surfaces which in a closed position of the jaws embrace the skirt of the penultimate capsule in the stick, a plurality of nozzle outlets disposed in spaced relationship around the gripping surface of each jaw along that edge of the jaws closest to the retractable stop, means for closing the jaws around the skirt of the penultimate capsule, means for supplying gas under pressure to the nozzle outlets after the penultimate capsule has been gripped by the jaws and when the lowermost capsule is to be removed, means for receiving a capsule blown from the stick and moving the capsule to a position above a bottle station, means for moving a bottle into said bottle station and means for causing the capsule positioned above the bottle station to fall on to the neck of the bottle.

Conveniently the means for receiving a capsule blown from the stick and moving it to a position above the bottle station comprises a rotatable turret containing a plurality of capsule receiving cups and means for rotating the turret so that each cup is moved from a position axially aligned with said clamping jaws at which it can receive a capsule blown from the stick to a position immediately above the bottle station.

In many respects therefore, the apparatus will be seen to be similar to that disclosed in UK. Specification No. 779,064 with a significant difference in the mode of supporting the stick during the blowing off of the lowermost capsule. The phrase substantially complete semicrcular gripping surfaces should be taken to mean that when the jaws are closed, the gripping surfaces define at least 4 of a complete circle (i.e., subtend in total an angle of at least 270 at the centre of the circle). Preferably the gripping surfaces should subtend in total at least 300 at the centre of the jaws and ideally about 340. Preferably the jaws are chamfered around that edge closest to the retractable stop and the nozzle outlets are uniformly spaced around the gripping surfaces with each nozzle passing through the chamfered part of the jaw and partly breaking through the unchamfered gripping surface.

If desired, capsule guide means may be mounted on the jaws to closely embrace, without touching, the lowermost capsule and to ensure that on being blown from the stick, the capsule flies into the capsule receiving means. Preferably the guide means comprises two arcuate plates (one fixed to each clamping jaw) which in the closed position of the jaws form a tapering barrel to stabilise the initial flight of the lowermost capsule and guide it along the desired trajectary. The diameter of the capsule guide means at its lower end (i.e., the end farthest from the jaws) is preferably equal to the maximum diameter of the skirt of a capsule.

The dimensions of the jaws are dictated by the size of capsules being employed, but for guidance, it should be mentioned that the diameter of the clamping surfaces in their closed position should be equal to, or only very slightly less than the maximum diameter of the skirt, so that virtually no deformation will occur of the penultimate capsule or those parts of other capsules underlying the embraced area of the penultimate capsule. The chamfered edge of the jaws are spaced from the removable stop by a distance (measured axially of the stick) equal to the length of a capsule. In this way it is ensured that the outlet nozzles lie very close to the end of the skirt of the lowermost capsule.

The means for closing the jaws, retracting the stop, supplying gas under pressure to the nozzle outlets, moving the capsule to a position above the bottle station and causing a capsule to fall on the neck of a bottle are preferably synchronized with a trip means actuated by a bottle arriving at the bottle station.

In a preferred form of apparatus in accordance with the invention the recess in each cup is of frusto-conical shape, the taper of the recess being the same as the taper of the fiusto-conical skirt of the capsule with the recess having a smaller diameter at the inner end of the cup than the minimum diameter of the capsule. In this way, it is ensured that when a capsule flies into a cup it is closely embraced. by the wall defining the recess and is supported with the closed end of the capsule spaced from the inner end of the cup.

With suitably designed apparatus, the cups can be dimensioned so that capsules are retained therein purely by friction and can be ejected when required by generat- 7 ing gaseouspressure between the closed end of'the capsule and the inner end of the cup. In some circumstances where particularly smooth skirted capsules are being employed, there may be a tendency fora capsule occasionally to drop from a cup before the correct moment in the cycle of operations of the apparatus and a simple way of obviating this difficulty should it occur is to direct a stream of gas into any cup containing a capsule at which undesirable capsule loss might occur. In the case of a cup occupying the position immediately above the bottle station the nozzle responsible for generating the retaining stream of gas may be moved to one side just prior to the ejection of the capsule from the cup.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of one form of apparatus,

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation on an enlarged scale of the capsuling unit of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 showing the capsule chute, gripping jaws and rotatable turret,

FIGURE 3 is a view of the clamping jaws and the means for operating the same,

FIGURE 4 is a partially sectioned plan of the clamping jaws of FIGURE 3, with the addition of the turret sectioned along the line IV-IV in FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of the clamping jaws on a further enlarged scale, and

FIGURE 6 is a rear elevation of the capsuling unit shown in FIGURE 2.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a base 1 supporting a horizontal bottle conveyor 2 and a capsuling unit (generally designated 3). A line of filled and stoppered bottles 4 moves on the conveyor 2 in the direction of the arrows A towards a bottle station occupied by the bottle 4 in FIGURE 1. The bottles 4 are controlled in their motion towards the bottle station by a helical conveyor 5, the upstream end of the helical conveyor being provided with a bottle-engaging surface 6 which is normal to the axis of the conveyor 5. The conveyor 5 is rotated by means of a shaft 7 at a uniform speed and transports the bottles 4, one by one, until they rest momentarily in the bottle station due to their engagement with the normal surface 6. The arrival of a bottle in the bottle station is sensed by a photo-electric cell P. As each bottle rests in the bottle station, a capsule is applied over the neck of the bottle and the mechanism for applying these capsules consists essentially of a rotatable turret 8, a chute 9 for supporting a stick 10 of capsules and a pair of gripping jaws 11a and 11b for controlling the release of capsules from the stick 10.

The chute 9 is a V-shaped channel inclined at to the horizontal down which the stick 10 of inverted capsules may slide under the influence of gravity towards the jaws 11a and 11]). Advance of the stick 10 along the chute 9 is controlled either by a clamping action of the jaws 11a and 11b, or by a retractable stop 12 interposed between the jaws and the turret 8. The turret 8 is formed with six cup-shaped members 13 arranged at 60 intervals around the horizontal rotating axis of the turret. During operation of the apparatus, the turret is advanced by 60 steps in an anti-clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG- URES 1 and 2) so that successively each cup 13 is brought into alignment with the chute 9 (i.e.,'into a position in which it can receive a capsule blown from the stick 10). In the drawings, the cup in this position is designated 13a. In view of the 30 inclination of the chute 9 to the horizontal and the 60 spacing between the cups 13, when one cup is aligned with the chute 9, the next-but-one cup in the direction of rotation of the turret, will be disposed with its axis vertical. The positioning of the turret 8 is such that the lowermost vertically directed cup (designated in the drawings is directly above the neck of the bottle 4' resting in the bottle station. The position of a cup intermediate the positions occupied by cups 13a and 130 has been designated 13b.

The jaws 11a and 11!) are each formed with a substantially complete semi-circular gripping surface 14, the radius of each gripping surface being only slightly less than half the maximum diameter of a capsule to be dispensed, so that when the jaws are closed around a capsule (as shown in FIGURE 3), the jaws engage the capsule around two diametriaclly disposed arcs which subtend substantially 340 at the centre of the opening. The separation between the jaws 11a and 11b in the closed position, is set by a threaded rod 15 adjustably secured in the jaw 11b. The jaws are pivoted about an axis 16 and are coupled together by a lazy tongs" linkage generally designated 17 (see FIGURE 3). The jaws are urged by a helical spring 19 into the closed position and are opened by an arm 18 extending from a ram 20 of a pneumatic cylinder 21. Each jaw 11a and 11b is provided with a plurality of channels 22 radially directed with respect to the semi-circular gripping surface 14. The individual channels 22 in each jaw communicate with bores 23 in the respective jaw and these bores 23 open into a supply point 24 for compressed air. The end of the channels 22 remote from the bores 23 define nozzle outlets which are uniformly spaced around the gripping surfaces 14. The jaws 11a and 111; are each provided with a chamfered part 25 around that edge closest to the turret 8 (see FIGURE 5) and the nozzle outlets are positioned so that they pass through the chamfered part 25 and partly break through the gripping surface 14. The retractable stop 12 is mounted on the end of the ram 20 and is spaced from the chamfered part 25 of the jaws 11a and III) by adistance measured axially of the stick 10 of capsules, which is equal to the length of a capsule (see FIGURE 5). In this way it is ensured that the ring of nozzles lie very close to the open end of the lowermost capsule and that it is the penultimate capsule and not the lowermost capsule which is gripped between the jaws 11a and 11b. The air flow through the channels 22 in the jaws 11a and llb is controlled by a valve 28 which is operated by a finger 29' passage 26 associated with that cup is in communication with an air-feed line 27, so that when the line 27 is pressurised, air flows into the cup and serves to eject a capsule lodged therein.

The rotation of the turret 8 is effected by a rack 30 and a pinion 31 (see FIGURES 4 and 6). The rack 30 is mounted on the piston rod 32 of a cylinder 33 and is slidably mounted in a bearing support 34. FiGURE 6 shows the rack at the completion of a stroke just prior to its commencing a return stroke to the right. Rotatably mounted on a common axis with the pinion 31, is a sixposition ratchet wheel against which bears a springurged pawl 36, rigidly connected to a pawl-operating member 37. With the pawl in the position shown, the turret 8 is locked in one of its rest positions. A uni-directional drive (not shown) links the pin-ion 31 and the ratchet wheel 35, so that pinion 31 can rotate in an anticlockwise direction (as seen in FIGURE 6) relative to the ratchet wheel 35 while both piJion 31 and ratchet wheel 35 rotate together in the clockwise direction. The free end of the pawl-operating member 37 is located in an opening 38 in the rack 30 so that when the rack is at the end of its stroke (shown in FIGURE 6), the pawl 36 engages the ratchet wheel 35, but that when the rack 30 is at the beginning of its stroke (i.e., fully to the right in FIGURE 6), the pawl 36 is lifted clear of the ratchet wheel, thus allowing the ratchet wheel 35 (and hence the turret 8) to rotate together when the rack 30 commences a new forward stroke. During the course of the forward stroke of the rack 30, the pawl will re-engage the ratchet wheel 35, but from a consideration of the shapes of the ratchet wheel and the pawl, it wil be appreciated that such engagement will only stop the ratchet wheel 35 after a rotation through 60.

The control of the air supply to the feed line 27 is by way of a valve 39 actuated by an operating member 49 mounted on the rack 30.

The operation of the apparatus illustrated in the drawings, is essentially as follows:

It will be assumed that a bottle is just moving into the bottle station, that a stick of capsules is resting on the chute 9 with the stop 12 retracted and the lowermost capsule gripped in the jaws 11a and 11b, and that the turret is in the position illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 with a capsule located in each of the cups 13a, 13b and 13c.

As the bottle reaches the bottle station, the neck of the bottle interrupts a light beam to the photo-electric cell 'P and initiates the following cycle of operations,

(1) Compressed air is fed to the feed line 27 and serves to blow the capsule in cup 130 onto the neck of the bottle 4'.

(2) As soon as the bottle 4 continues its travel (i.e., after the dwell caused by the surface 6) the irradiation of the photo-electric cell P is restored.

(3) Cylinder 21 is now pressurized (moving the ram 20 to the left in FIGURES 3 and 4) causing the retractable stop 12 to be extended and the jaws 11a and 11b to be opened. As the jaws open the stick 10 of capsules moves down the chute 9, until the lowermost capsule rests against the stop 12.

(4) The turret 8 now advances through 60 presenting an empty cup 13 to the stick of capsules and mov' ing cup 13b into a position above the bottle station. As the turret 8 moves, the air supply to line 27 is interrupted.

(5) Ram 26 now returns to its original position, causing the jaws to close around the penultimate capsule and the stop 12 to be retracted.

(6) The lowermost capsule is blown into the aligned cup 13 by the supply of compressed air to the supply point 24.

(7) The cycle is complete and the apparatus is now ready for the arrival of the next bottle into the bottle station.

In order to ensure that the capsule in the cup in the intermediate position 13b does not drop out, it may be necessary to positively retain it in position pneumatically, and to this end a continuous air jet may be provided from a nozzle outlet 45. To prevent the capsule in the lowermost cup 130 dropping out before the bottle is correctly positioned below the cup, a second nozzle outlet 46 may be provided, this second nozzle outlet being mounted on a movable carriage 47 which moves from the position shown in FIGURE 2 to the position shown in FIGURE 1, just prior to the supply of air to the feed line 27.

From what has been said already it will be appreciated that the penultimate capsule is gripped over substantially a complete circular area adjacent its open end when the lowermost capsule is pneumatically dispensed from the stick and it is the provision of this extensive area contact which enables the stick to be supported without the soft capsules being damaged. The provision of a substantially complete ring of air channels 22 disposed close to the open end of the lowermost capsule and through which air can be blown to effect removal of the lowermost capsule, enables the apparatus described and illustrated herein to be successfully used with heavy lead foil capsules at dispensing rates of several hundred capsules a minute. Although in practice it is not normatly required, arcuate guiding plates 48 (shown in broken line in FIGURE 5) may be fitted to the jaws 11a and 11b to define a barrel along which the lowermost capsule is ejected towards the awaiting cup 13a.

Capsules and bottles come in a wide range of sizes and the apparatus shown in the drawings can easily be adapted to dilferent heights of bottles and ditferent sizes of capsule. Thus the capsuling unit 3 is adjustably mounted on st anchions 41 forming a part of the base 1 (to adjust for bottles of a difierent height), the cups 13 are detachably mounted on the turret 8 and, can if necessary, be replaced by other cups dimensioned to receive the specific capsules to be dispensed, and the separation between the jaws 11a and 11b and the stop 12 can be adjusted by virtue of the fact that the jaws are carried by a plate 42 mounted in a slideway 43 (FIGURE 2). The position of the plate 42 may be set by means of an adjusting knob 44.

It wil be appreciated, from the foregoing, that by employing the apparatus illustrated, capsules may be located on the necks of bottles with an accuracy of orientation relative to the bottles which is equal to the relative accuracy of orientation of the individual capsules in the stick. This feature is of importance in the case of capsules having characteristic marking which the bottler wishes to be aligned with some feature of the label on the bottle.

A capsule dispensing operation may be initiated solely by the photo-electric cell P but the full value of the dwell period to allow a bottle to become stabilised in the bottle station may not be obtained. In practice therefore, it is preferred to initiate the operating sequence by the photocell in conjunction with a micro-switch (not shown) operated from the shaft 7 of the conveyor 5. The microswitch is timed to initiate capsule dispensing at the midpoint of the dwell period. The photo-electric cell P in series with the micro-switch ensures that capsules are only dispensed when a bottle is in the bottle station.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for locating a lead foil capsule on the neck of a bottle comprising:

(a) means down which a stick of inverted capsules can slide by gravity,

(b) a retractable stop which is contacted by and prevents the discharge of the lowermost capsule in said stick,

(c) means for retracting said stop from contact with the lowermost capsule in the stick prior to removal of the lowermost capsule,

(d) an opposed pair of clamping jaws spaced from the retractable stop and having substantially complete semicircular gripping surfaces which in a closed position of the jaws embrace the skirt of the pen-ultimate capsule in the stick,

(e) a plurality of nozzle outlets disposed in spaced relationship around the gripping surface of each jaw along that edge of the jaws closest to the retractable stop,

(f) means for closing the jaws around the skirt of the penultimate capsule,

(g) means for supplying gas under pressure to the nozzle outlets after the penultimate capsule has been gripped by the jaws and when the lowermost capsule is to be removed,

(h) means for receiving a capsule blown from the stick and moving the capsule to a position above a bottle station,

(i) means for moving a bottle into said bottle station,

and

(j) means for causing the capsule positioned above the bottle station to fall on to the neck of the bottle.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the gripping surfaces subtend in total at least 300 at the centre of the jaws.

3. Apparatus for locating a lead foil capsule on the neck of a bottle comprising:

(a) means down which a stick of inverted capsules can slide by gravity,

(b) a retractable stop which is contacted by and prevents the discharge of the lowermost capsule in said stick,

(c) means for retracting said stop from contact with the lowermost capsule in the stick prior to removal of the lowermost capsule,

(d) an opposed pair of clamping jaws spaced from the retractable stop and having substantially complete semicricular gripping surfaces which in a closed position of the jaws embrace the skirt of the penultimate capsule in the stick,

(e) a plurality of nozzle outlets disposed in spaced relationship around the gripping surface of each jaw along that edge of the jaws closest to the retractable stop,

(f) means for closing the jaws around the skirt of the penultimate capsule,

(g) means for supplying gas under pressure to the nozzle outlets after the penultimate capsule has been gripped -by the jaws and when the lowermost capsule is to be removed,

(h) a rotatable turret containing a plurality of capsule receiving cups,

(i) means for rotating the turret to remove sequentially each cup from a position axially aligned with said clamping jaws to a position immediately above the bottle station,

(j) means for moving a bottle into said bottle station,

and

(k) means for causing the capsule positioned above the bottle station to fall on to the neck of the bottle.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the gripping surfaces subtend in total at least 300" at the centre of the jaws.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the jaws are chamfered around that edge closest to the retractable stop and the nozzle outlets are uniformly spaced around the gripping surfaces with each nozzle passing through the chamfered part of the jaw and partly breaking through the unchamfered gripping surface.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the jaws are chamfered around that edge closest to the retractable stop and the nozzle outlets are uniformly spaced around the gripping surfaces with each nozzle passing through the chamfered part of the jaw and partly breaking through the unchamfered gripping surface.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which capsule guide means are mounted on the jaws to closely embrace, without touching, the lowermost capsule and to ensure that on being bown from the stick, the capsule flies into the capsule receiving means.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which capsule guide means are mounted on the jaws to closely embrace, without touching, the lowermost capsule and to ensure that on being blown from the stick, the capsule flies into the capsule receiving means.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the means for closing the jaws, retracting the stop, supplying gas under pressure to the nozzle outlets, moving the capsule to a position above the bottle station and causing a capsule to fall on the neck of a bottle are preferably synchronised with a trip means actuated by a bottle arriving at the bottle station.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the means for closing the jaws, retracting the stop, supplying gas under pressure to the nozzle outlets, moving the capsule .to a position above the bottle station and causing a capsule to fall on the neck of a bottle are preferably synchronised with a trip means actuated by a bottle arriving at the bottle station.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,738,899 3/1956 Hansen et al 221278 X 2,914,894 12/1959 Hansen 53-292 X 2,946,480 7/1960 Farber 221278 X 3,099,120 7/1963 Bruun 221278 X 3,323,680 6/1967 Beer 221221 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,105,747 4/ 1961 Germany.

WILLIAM W. DYER, 112., Primary Examiner.

R. L. FARRIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR LOCATING A LEAD FOIL CAPSULE ON THE NECK OF A BOTTLE COMPRISING: (A) MEANS DOWN WHICH A STICK OF INVENTED CAPSULES CAN SLIDE BY GRAVITY, (B) A RETRACTABLE STOP WHICH IS CONTACTED BY AND PREVENTS THE DISCHARGE OF THE LOWERMOST CAPSULE IN SAID STICK, (C) MEANS FOR RETRACTING SAID STOP FROM CONTACT WITH THE LOWERMOST CAPSULE IN THE STICK PRIOR TO REMOVAL OF THE LOWERMOST CAPSULE, (D) AN OPPOSED PAIR OF CLAMPING JAWS SPACED FROM THE RETRACTABLE STOP AND HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE SEMICIRCULAR GRIPPING SURFACES WHICH IN A CLOSED POSITION OF THE JAWS EMBRACE THE SKIRT OF THE PEN-ULTIMATE CAPSULE IN THE STICK, (E) A PLURALITY OF NOZZLE OUTLETS DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP AROUND THE GRIPPING SURFACE OF EACH JAW ALONG THE EDGE OF THE JAWS CLOSEST TO THE RETRACTABLE STOP, (F) MEANS FOR CLOSING THE JAWS AROUND THE SKIRT OF THE PENULTIMATE CAPSULE, (G) MEANS FOR SUPPLYING GAS UNDER PRESSURE TO THE NOZZLE OUTLETS AFTER THE PENULTIMATE CAPSULE HAS BEEN GRIPPED BY THE JAWS AND WHEN THE LOWERMOST CAPSULE IS TO BE REMOVED, (H) MEANS FOR RECEIVING A CAPSULE BLOWN FROM THE STICK AND MOVING THE CAPSULE TO A POSITION ABOVE A BOTTLE STATION, (I) MEANS FOR MOVING A BOTTLE INTO SAID BOTTLE STATION AND (J) MEANS FOR CAUSING THE CAPSULE POSITIONED ABOVE THE BOTTLE STATION TO FALL ON TO THE NECK OF THE BOTTLE. 